Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the First Mode

Though the Tomb was sealed by a stone and soldiers guarded your pure body, yet You arose on the third day, giving life to the world. Therefore, O Giver of life, the heavenly powers praise You: Glory to Your resurrection, O Christ! Glory to Your kingdom! Glory to Your plan of redemption, O only loving God.

Τοῦ λίθου σφραγισθέντος ὑπὸ τῶν Ἰουδαίων, καὶ στρατιωτῶν φυλασσόντων τὸ ἄχραντόν σου σῶμα, ἀνέστης τριήμερος Σωτήρ, δωρούμενος τῷ κόσμῳ τὴν ζωήν. Διὰ τοῦτο αἱ Δυνάμεις τῶν οὐρανῶν ἐβόων σοι Ζωοδότα· Δόξα τῇ ἀναστάσει σου Χριστέ, δόξα τῇ Βασιλείᾳ σου, δόξα τῇ οἰκονομίᾳ σου, μόνε Φιλάνθρωπε.

Tu lithu sfraghisthentos eepo ton Iudaion, ke stratioton fylassonton to akranton Su Soma, anestis tri-eemeros Sotir, dorumenos toh kosmo tin zoin; dia tuto eh Dynamis ton uranon evo-on Si zo-odota: Doxa ti Anastasi Su Christe; Doxa ti Vasilia Su; Doxa ti eekonomia Su, mone fylanthrope.

Apolytikion for Apodosis of the Entry in the Fourth Mode

Today is the prelude of God’s pleasure and the proclamation of man’s salvation. The Virgin is clearly made manifest in the Temple of God and foretells Christ to all. Let us also cry out to her with mighty voice, “Rejoice, fulfillment of the Creator’s dispensation.”

Σήμερον τής ευδοκίας Θεού τό προοίμιον, καί τής τών ανθρώπων σωτηρίας η προκήρυξις, Εν Ναώ τού Θεού τρανώς η Παρθένος δείκνυται, καί τόν Χριστόν τοίς πάσι προκαταγγέλλεται, Αυτή καί ημείς μεγαλοφώνως βοήσωμεν, Χαίρε τής οικονομίας τού Κτίστου η εκπλήρωσις.

Simeron tis evdokias Theu to pro-ee-mion, ke tis tohn anthropon sotirias ee prokirixis. En nao tu Theu tranos ee Parthenos dikniteh, ke tohn Christon tis pasi prokatangelete. Afti ke eemis megalofonos voisomen; Haire tis eekonomias tu Ktistu ee ekplirosis.

Apolytikion for Great Martyr Catherine in the Plagal First Mode

Let us praise the most auspicious bride of Christ, the divine Katherine, protectress of Sinai, our aid and our help. For, she brilliantly silenced the eloquence of the impious by the sword of the spirit, and now, crowned as a martyr, she asks great mercy for all.

Τήν πανεύφημον νύμφην Χριστού υμνήσωμεν, Αικατερίναν τήν θείαν καί πολιούχον Σινά, τήν βοήθειαν ημών καί αντίληψιν, ότι εφίμωσε λαμπρώς, τούς κομψούς τών ασεβών, τού Πνεύματος τή μαχαίρα, καί νύν ως Μάρτυς στεφθείσα, αιτείται πάσι τό μέγα έλεος.

Tin panefimon nymphin Christu eemnisomen, Ehkaterinan tin thian ke poliuhon Sina, tin voithian eemon ke antilypsin; oti efimose lambros tus kompsus ton asevon, tu Pnevmatos ti makhera; ke nin os Martys stefthisa, ehtiteh pasi to mega eleos.

Apolytikion of the Annunciation in the Fourth Mode

Today is the crown of our salvation, and the revelation of the mystery planned from eternity; the Son of God, becomes the Virgin’s Son, and Gabriel announces the grace. Wherefore, we along with him, to the Theotokos let us cry out: Rejoice, O full of grace, the Lord is with you.

Σήμερον τῆς σωτηρίας ἡμῶν τὸ Κεφάλαιον, καὶ τοῦ ἀπ' αἰῶνος Μυστηρίου ἡ φανέρωσις, ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, Υἱὸς τῆς Παρθένου γίνεται, καὶ Γαβριὴλ τὴν χάριν εὐαγγελίζεται. Διὸ καὶ ἡμεῖς σὺν αὐτῷ τὴ Θεοτόκω βοήσωμεν· Χαῖρε Κεχαριτωμένη, ὁ Κύριος μετὰ σοῦ.

Simeron tis sotirias eemon to Kefalaion, ke tu ap’eonos Mystiriu ee fanerosis; o Ios tu Theu, Ios tis Parthenu ghinete, ke Gavri-il tin harin evangelizete. Dio ke eemis syn afto ti Theotoke voisomen; Haire Keharitomeni, o Kyrios meta su.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Fourth Mode

Today, the most pure temple of the Savior, the precious bridal chamber and Virgin, the sacred treasure of God, enters the house of the Lord, bringing the grace of the Divine Spirit. The Angels of God praise her. She is the heavenly tabernacle.

Ο καθαρώτατος ναός τού Σωτήρος, η πολυτίμητος παστάς καί Παρθένος, τό Ιερόν θησαύρισμα τής δόξης τού Θεού, σήμερον εισάγεται, εν τώ οίκω Κυρίου, τήν χάριν συνεισάγουσα, τήν εν Πνευματι θείω, ήν ανυμνούσιν Άγγελοι Θεού, Αύτη υπάρχει σκηνή επουράνιος.

O katharotatos Naos tu Sotiros, ee polytimitos pastas ke Parthenos, to ee-eh-ron thysavrisma tis thoxis tu Theu, simeron eesageteh, en toh Eekoh Kyriu, tin harin synisagusa, tin en Pnevmati Thio; een anymnusin Angeli Theu; Afti eeparhi, skini epouranios.

Saints and Feasts

November 25

Catherine the Great Martyr of Alexandria

Saint Catherine, who was from Alexandria, was the daughter of Constas (or Cestus). She was an exceedingly beautiful maiden, most chaste, and illustrious in wealth, lineage, and learning. By her steadfast understanding, she utterly vanquished the passionate and unbridled soul of Maximinus, the tyrant of Alexandria; and by her eloquence, she stopped the mouths of the so-called philosophers who had been gathered to dispute with her. She was crowned with the crown of martyrdom in the year 305. Her holy relics were taken by Angels to the holy mountain of Sinai, where they were discovered many years later; the famous monastery of Saint Catherine was originally dedicated to the Holy Transfiguration of the Lord and the Burning Bush, but later was dedicated to Saint Catherine. According to the ancient usage, Saints Catherine and Mercurius were celebrated on the 24th of this month, whereas the holy Hieromartyrs Clement of Rome and Peter of Alexandria were celebrated on the 25th. The dates of the feasts of these Saints were interchanged at the request of the Church and Monastery of Mount Sinai, so that the festival of Saint Catherine, their patron, might be celebrated more festively together with the Apodosis of the Feast of the Entry of the Theotokos. The Slavic Churches, however, commemorate these Saints on their original dates.

November 25

Mercurius the Great Martyr of Caesarea in Cappadocia

Saint Mercurius came from Cappadocia, and was the son of Gordian, a Scythian. A young man, and a soldier of high rank, he refused to offer sacrifice to the idols, and after torments was beheaded during the reign of Valerian (253-260).

November 26

Alypius the Stylite of Adrianopolis

Saint Alypius was from Adrianople of Bithynia; having lived upon a pillar for fifty-three years, he reposed about the year 607, at the age of one hundred.

November 26

Nicon

Saint Nicon, the son of a certain noble, was from Armenia. Forsaking his parents and homeland, he passed throughout the parts of the East, crying to all men, "Repent ye," because of which he received this name. Finally, he came to Lacedaemonia of the Peloponnesus, where he built a church in honour of Christ our Saviour. After having dwelt there many years in solitude, and having converted many from paganism, he departed to the Lord about the end of the ninth century.

November 27

James the Great Martyr of Persia

This Saint was from the city of Bythlaba and was of noble birth; he was the closest and most honoured friend of Isdiger (or Yazdegerd) I, King of Persia (reigned 399-420). Though a Christian from his youth, James renounced Christ because he was allured by the King's friendship and flatteries. When his mother and his wife learned of this, they declared to him by letter that they would have nothing more to do with him, since he had preferred a glory that is temporal to the love of Christ. Wounded in soul by these words and coming to himself, the Saint wept over his error, and repudiated the worship of the idols. Therefore, becoming exceedingly wroth, the King - this was Bahram (or Varahran) V (reigned 421-438), Isdiger's son and successor - condemned him to a most bitter death, the likes of which not even a brute beast was ever condemned to: that is, his body was dismembered at every joint of his arms and legs. And so, when he had been cut asunder limb by limb to his very hips and shoulders, the courageous Martyr was finally beheaded, in the year 421.

November 28

Stephen the New

The righteous Stephen was born in Constantinople in 715 to pious parents named John and Anna. His mother had prayed often to the most holy Theotokos in her church at Blachernae to be granted a son, and one day received a revelation from our Lady that she would conceive the son she desired. When Anna had conceived, she asked the newly-elected Patriarch Germanus (see May 12) to bless the babe in her womb. He said, "May God bless him through the prayers of the holy First Martyr Stephen." At that moment Anna saw a flame of fire issue from the mouth of the holy Patriarch. When the child was born, she named him Stephen, according to the prophecy of Saint Germanus.

Stephen struggled in asceticism from his youth in Bithynia at the Monastery of Saint Auxentius, which was located at a lofty place called Mount Auxentius (see Feb. 14). Because of his extreme labours and great goodness, he was chosen by the hermits of Mount Auxentius to be their leader. The fame of his spiritual struggles reached the ears of all, and the fragrance of his virtue drew many to himself.

During the reign of Constantine V (741-775), Stephen showed his love of Orthodoxy in contending for the Faith. This Constantine was called Copronymus, that is, "namesake of dung," because while being baptized he had soiled the waters of regeneration, giving a fitting token of what manner of impiety he would later embrace. Besides being a fierce Iconoclast, Constantine raised up a ruthless persecution of monasticism. He held a council in 754 that anathematized the holy icons. Because Saint Stephen rejected this council, the Emperor framed false accusations against him and exiled him. But while in exile Saint Stephen performed healings with holy icons and turned many away from Iconoclasm. When he was brought before the Emperor again, he showed him a coin and asked whose image the coin bore. "Mine," said the tyrant. "If any man trample upon thine image, is he liable to punishment?" asked the Saint. When they that stood by answered yes, the Saint groaned because of their blindness, and said if they thought dishonouring the image of a corruptible king worthy of punishment, what torment would they receive who trampled upon the image of the Master Christ and of the Mother of God? Then he threw the coin to the ground and trampled on it. He was condemned to eleven months in bonds and imprisonment. Later, he was dragged over the earth and was stoned, like Stephen the First Martyr; wherefore he is called Stephen the New. Finally, he was struck with a wooden club on the temple and his head was shattered, and thus he gave up his spirit in the year 767.

November 29

Paramonus, Philumenus, and their 370 Companion Martyrs in Bithynia

Saint Paramonus contested for piety's sake during the reign of Decius, in the year 250. A ruler named Aquilinus, seeking relief from a bodily malady, visited a certain therapeutic hot spring. He brought with him captive Christians from Nicomedia, and commanded them to offer sacrifice in the temple of Isis. When they refused, he had them all slaughtered, to the number of 370. Saint Paramonus, beholding their murder, boldly cried out against such an act of ungodliness. When Aquilinus heard this, he sent men to take the Saint. Some smote him with spears, others pierced his tongue and body with sharp reeds, until he died.

Saint Philumenus' contest in martyrdom took place during the reign of Aurelian, in the year 270. Coming from Lycaonia, he was conveying a load of wheat into Galatia when he was denounced as a Christian to Felix, Governor of Ancyra. Nails were driven into his hands, feet, and head, and he was commanded to run. While running in the road, he fell and gave up his holy soul into the hands of God.

November 30

Andrew the First- Called Apostle

This Saint was from Bethsaida of Galilee; he was the son of Jonas and the brother of Peter, the chief of the Apostles. He had first been a disciple of John the Baptist; afterwards, on hearing the Baptist's witness concerning Jesus, when he pointed Him out with his finger and said, "Behold the Lamb of God, Which taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1.29,36), he straightway followed Christ, and became His first disciple; wherefore he is called the First-called of the Apostles. After the Ascension of the Saviour, he preached in various lands; and having suffered many things for His Name's sake, he died in Patras of Achaia, where he was crucified on a cross in the shape of an "X," the first letter of "Christ" in Greek; this cross is also the symbol of Saint Andrew.

December 01

Nahum the Prophet

The Prophet Nahum had Elkesaeus (Elkosh) as his homeland, and was from the tribe of Symeon; he is seventh in order among the twelve Minor Prophets He prophesied during the time of Hezekias, after the destruction of Samaria (721 years before Christ), but before the ten tribes were taken into captivity; he prophesied against Nineveh, the capital of Assyria. His name means "comforter." His book of prophecy is divided into three chapters.

December 02

Habakkuk the Prophet

This Prophet, whose name means "loving embrace," is eighth in order of the minor Prophets. His homeland and tribe are not recorded in the Divine Scriptures; according to some, he was of the tribe of Symeon. He prophesied in the years of Joachim, who is also called Jechonias, before the Babylonian captivity of the Jewish People, which took place 599 years before Christ. When Nabuchodonosor came to take the Israelites captive, Habakkuk fled to Ostrakine, and after Jerusalem was destroyed and the Chaldeans departed, Habakkuk returned and cultivated his field. Once he made some pottage and was about to take it to the reapers in the field. An Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and carried him with the pottage to Babylon to feed Daniel in the lions' den, then brought him back to Judea (Bel and the Dragon, 33-39): His book of prophecy is divided into three chapters; the third chapter is also used as the Fourth Ode of the Psalter. His holy relics were found in Palestine during the reign of Emperor Theodosius the Great, through a revelation to Zebennus, Bishop of Eleutheropolis (Sozomen, Eccl. Hist., Book VII, 29).

December 02

Porphyrios of Kavsokalyvia

Saint Porphyrios (Bairaktaris) was born in 1907 with the name Evangelos in Evoia, Greece, in the small village of Agios Ioannis (Saint John). As a child he tended to the sheep in the hills, and it is there that he first read the life of Saint John the Hut-Dweller (Commemorated January 15th) which planted the desire of monasticism in his heart. The spark lit by Saint John was fanned when at the age of seven he overheard a conversation about the divine beauty of the Holy Mountain. Eventually he stowed away on a boat to Thessalonica, hoping from there to reach Mount Athos.

On the evening after his arrival, a group of monks gathered at the harbor to take the boat to Mount Athos. One of them noticed the young Porphyrios and asked him where he was going. Porphyrios told the monk that he was going to the Holy Mountain, but lied about the reason as to why. The monk, seeing through this, told Porphyrios to tell any inquirers that he was his nephew and that his mother had passed away, for otherwise he would not be allowed on the mountain since he was still a child.

The monk, whose name was Panteleimon, became his spiritual father and brought him to Kavsokalyvia, a small skete where Panteleimon lived with his brother, the Priest Ioannikos, as fellow monastics. The young Porphyrios loved to carry out the virtue of obedience to his elders, at times being tested by them without even knowing it. When he was fourteen, his elder asked Porphyrios what he was planning to do with his life. The young man told him that he wished to stay on the Mountain. Two or three years later, Porphyrios was tonsured with the name Nikitas.

Once, being obedient to one of his elders against the wishes of the other, Porphyrios went out on a rainy day to collect snails. After hours of filling his sack, and burdened by the wind and cold, Porphyrios found himself suddenly caught in a rockslide and was buried up to his knees. Crying out to the Theotokos he was miraculously delivered, but having suffered badly he developed pleurisy and had to leave Mount Athos to seek medical treatment. The elder who told him to collect the snails profusely apologized, and personally saw Porphyrios off of Mount Athos, kissing him on the forehead in tears.

Porphyrios returned to the village of Agios Ioannis in Evoia where he reunited with his family. He stayed at the monastery of Saint Haralambos, which was near the village Avlonari, until he recovered. his good reputation as a faithful and obedient monk quickly spread and thus caught the attention of the Bishop Fostinis of Kymi. He began to visit Porphyrios frequently, and with the aid of Archbishop Porphyrios III of Sinai (from whom Porphyrios was given his final name), ordained the young monk a deacon and then a priest. Two years later he was made a confessor and would at times hear confessions for multiple days at a time without sleep or food.

His next major ministry was serving as the Chaplain at the Polyclinic Hospital in Athens for roughly 33 years (1940-1973). It was through the well-known Professor of Canon Law, Amilkas Alivizatos, that Porphyrios was assigned to the Church of Saint Gerasimos which was associated with the hospital. During this time he helped many patients spiritually by acting as their father confessor. In addition to his hospital duties, he helped to renew the Church of Saint Nicholas in Kallisia, often having recourse to it during the night to pray by himself or with family.

However, Porphyrios had still been unable to fulfill another dream he shared with his family: founding a monastery. After years of searching, he bought some land upon the top of a hill in Milesi where he later founded The Holy Monastery of the Transfiguration. He remained there for many years before returning to his old cell on Mount Athos where he spent his last years. He departed this life on December 2nd, 1991. Porphyrios was declared a saint by the Ecumenical Patriarchate on November 27th, 2013.

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Fourth Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Luke 24:1-12

On the first day of the week, at early dawn, the women went to the tomb, taking the spices which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel; and as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of man must be delivered in to the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise." And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told this to the apostles; but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.

But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home wondering at what had happened.

Fourth Orthros Gospel
Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 24:1-12

Καὶ τὸ μὲν σάββατον ἡσύχασαν κατὰ τὴν ἐντολήν, Τῇ δὲ μιᾷ τῶν σαββάτων ὄρθρου βαθέος ἦλθον ἐπὶ τὸ μνῆμα φέρουσαι ἃ ἡτοίμασαν ἀρώματα, καί τινες σὺν αὐταῖς. εὗρον δὲ τὸν λίθον ἀποκεκυλισμένον ἀπὸ τοῦ μνημείου, καὶ εἰσελθοῦσαι οὐχ εὗρον τὸ σῶμα τοῦ Κυρίου ᾿Ιησοῦ. καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ διαπορεῖσθαι αὐτὰς περὶ τούτου καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄνδρες δύο ἐπέστησαν αὐταῖς ἐν ἐσθήσεσιν ἀστραπτούσαις. ἐμφόβων δὲ γενομένων αὐτῶν καὶ κλινουσῶν τὸ πρόσωπον εἰς τὴν γῆν εἶπον πρὸς αὐτάς· τί ζητεῖτε τὸν ζῶντα μετὰ τῶν νεκρῶν; οὐκ ἔστιν ὧδε, ἀλλ᾿ ἠγέρθη· μνήσθητε ὡς ἐλάλησεν ὑμῖν ἔτι ὢν ἐν τῇ Γαλιλαίᾳ, λέγων ὅτι δεῖ τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδοθῆναι εἰς χεῖρας ἀνθρώπων ἁμαρτωλῶν καὶ σταυρωθῆναι, καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἀναστῆναι. καὶ ἐμνήσθησαν τῶν ῥημάτων αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὑποστρέψασαι ἀπὸ τοῦ μνημείου ἀπήγγειλαν ταῦτα πάντα τοῖς ἕνδεκα καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς λοιποῖς. ἦσαν δὲ ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ Μαρία καὶ ᾿Ιωάννα καὶ Μαρία ᾿Ιακώβου καὶ οἱ λοιπαὶ σὺν αὐταῖς, αἳ ἔλεγον πρὸς τοὺς ἀποστόλους ταῦτα. καὶ ἐφάνησαν ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν ὡσεὶ λῆρος τὰ ῥήματα αὐτῶν, καὶ ἠπίστουν αὐταῖς. ὁ δὲ Πέτρος ἀναστὰς ἔδραμεν ἐπὶ τὸ μνημεῖον, καὶ παρακύψας βλέπει τὰ ὀθόνια κείμενα μόνα, καὶ ἀπῆλθε πρὸς ἑαυτόν, θαυμάζων τὸ γεγονός.

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Fourth Mode. Psalm 67.35,26.
God is wonderful among his saints.
Verse: Bless God in the congregations.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians 3:23-29; 4:1-5.

Brethren, before faith came, we were confined under the law, kept under restraint until faith should be revealed. So that the law was our custodian until Christ came, that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a custodian; for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise. I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no better than a slave, though he is the owner of all the estate; but he is under guardians and trustees until the date set by the father. So with us; when we were children, we were slaves to the elemental spirits of the universe. But when the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

Προκείμενον. Fourth Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 67.35,26.
Θαυμαστὸς ὁ Θεὸς ἐν τοῖς Ἁγίοις αὐτοῦ.
Στίχ. Ἐν Ἐκκλησίαις εὐλογεῖτε τὸν Θεὸν.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Γαλάτας 3:23-29, 4:1-5.

Ἀδελφοί, πρὸ τοῦ δὲ ἐλθεῖν τὴν πίστιν, ὑπὸ νόμον ἐφρουρούμεθα, συγκεκλεισμένοι εἰς τὴν μέλλουσαν πίστιν ἀποκαλυφθῆναι. Ὥστε ὁ νόμος παιδαγωγὸς ἡμῶν γέγονεν εἰς Χριστόν, ἵνα ἐκ πίστεως δικαιωθῶμεν. Ἐλθούσης δὲ τῆς πίστεως, οὐκέτι ὑπὸ παιδαγωγόν ἐσμεν. Πάντες γὰρ υἱοὶ θεοῦ ἐστε διὰ τῆς πίστεως ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. Ὅσοι γὰρ εἰς Χριστὸν ἐβαπτίσθητε, Χριστὸν ἐνεδύσασθε. Οὐκ ἔνι Ἰουδαῖος οὐδὲ Ἕλλην, οὐκ ἔνι δοῦλος οὐδὲ ἐλεύθερος, οὐκ ἔνι ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ· πάντες γὰρ ὑμεῖς εἷς ἐστε ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. Εἰ δὲ ὑμεῖς Χριστοῦ, ἄρα τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ σπέρμα ἐστέ, καὶ κατʼ ἐπαγγελίαν κληρονόμοι. Λέγω δέ, ἐφʼ ὅσον χρόνον ὁ κληρονόμος νήπιός ἐστιν, οὐδὲν διαφέρει δούλου, κύριος πάντων ὤν· ἀλλὰ ὑπὸ ἐπιτρόπους ἐστὶν καὶ οἰκονόμους, ἄχρι τῆς προθεσμίας τοῦ πατρός. Οὕτως καὶ ἡμεῖς, ὅτε ἦμεν νήπιοι, ὑπὸ τὰ στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου ἦμεν δεδουλωμένοι· ὅτε δὲ ἦλθεν τὸ πλήρωμα τοῦ χρόνου, ἐξαπέστειλεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ, γενόμενον ἐκ γυναικός, γενόμενον ὑπὸ νόμον, ἵνα τοὺς ὑπὸ νόμον ἐξαγοράσῃ, ἵνα τὴν υἱοθεσίαν ἀπολάβωμεν.

Gospel Reading

13th Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 18:18-27

At that time, a ruler came to Jesus and asked him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.' " And he said, "All these I have observed from my youth." And when Jesus heard it, he said to him, "One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." But when he heard this he became sad, for he was very rich. Jesus looking at him said, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." Those who heard it said, "Then who can be saved?" But he said, "What is impossible with men is possible with God."

13th Sunday of Luke
Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 18:18-27

Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ἄρχων λέγων· διδάσκαλε ἀγαθέ, τί ποιήσας ζωὴν αἰώνιον κληρονομήσω; εἶπε δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς· τί με λέγεις ἀγαθόν; οὐδεὶς ἀγαθὸς εἰ μὴ εἷς ὁ Θεός. τὰς ἐντολὰς οἶδας· μὴ μοιχεύσῃς, μὴ φονεύσῃς, μὴ κλέψῃς, μὴ ψευδομαρτυρήσῃς, τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα σου. ὁ δὲ εἶπε· ταῦτα πάντα ἐφυλαξάμην ἐκ νεότητός μου. ἀκούσας δὲ ταῦτα ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ἔτι ἕν σοι λείπει· πάντα ὅσα ἔχεις πώλησον καὶ διάδος πτωχοῖς, καὶ ἕξεις θησαυρὸν ἐν οὐρανῷ, καὶ δεῦρο ἀκολούθει μοι. ὁ δὲ ἀκούσας ταῦτα περίλυπος ἐγένετο· ἦν γὰρ πλούσιος σφόδρα. ἰδὼν δὲ αὐτὸν ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς περίλυπον γενόμενον εἶπε· πῶς δυσκόλως οἱ τὰ χρήματα ἔχοντες εἰσελεύσονται εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ! εὐκοπώτερον γάρ ἐστι κάμηλον διὰ τρυμαλιᾶς ῥαφίδος εἰσελθεῖν ἢ πλούσιον εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰσελθεῖν. εἶπον δὲ οἱ ἀκούσαντες· καὶ τίς δύναται σωθῆναι; ὁ δὲ εἶπε· τὰ ἀδύνατα παρὰ ἀνθρώποις δυνατὰ παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ ἐστιν.

Wisdom of the Fathers

Love of money is the worship of idols, a daughter of unbelief, an excuse for infirmities, a foreboder of old age, a harbinger of drought, a herald of hunger.

St. John Climacus

The Ladder of Divine Ascent, Step 16:2,7 and Step 17:1, 6th Century

He who has conquered this passion has cut out care; but he who is bound by it never attains to pure prayer ...

St. John Climacus

The Ladder of Divine Ascent, Step 16:2,7 and Step 17:1, 6th Century

PARISH NEWS

PARISH LEADERSHIP

REV. FR. JON MAGOULIAS
PARISH PRIEST

JAYLEN FRENCH
PARISH COUNCIL PRESIDENT

MICHAEL SERGAKIS
PASTORAL ASSISTANT

DIVINE SERVICES
Sunday,          November 21st
ENTRANCE OF THE THEOTOKOS TO THE TEMPLE
EVENING LITURGY FOR THANKSGIVING
Epistle Heb.     9:1-7
Gospel. Luke   10:38-42; 11:27-28
Evening Divine Services.       6:00 p.m.

Saturday, November 24th
Great Vespers will be celebrated at the
Church of St. Katherine in Elk Grove    7:00 p.m.

Sunday,          November 25th
13TH SUNDAY OF LUKE
ST. KATHERINE THE GREAT MARTYR
Epistle Gal.      3:23-29, 4:1-5
Gospel. Luke   18:18-27
Sunday Divine Services. 9:00 a.m.

Friday,          November 30th
ST. ANDREW THE FIRST CALLED APOSTLE
Epistle 1 Cor.   4:9-16
Gospel. Luke   12:16-21
Divine Services.              8:30 a.m.

Saturday,    December 1st
Great Vespers will be held at the Church of the Holy Cross

Sunday,        December 2nd
11TH SUNDAY OF LUKE
Epistle   Eph.   6:10-17
Gospel. Luke 18:35-43
Sunday Divine Services. 9:00 a.m.

Divine Services at our Church of the Annunciation can be viewed live on the Internet! Divine Services may be viewed using an iPhone or iPad. Visit our Parish Website: www.goannunciation.org and go to the "Live" link to follow directions (It is recommended to use "Chrome" as your browser. Please be sure to connect to the proper device.

In appreciation of a very generous donation, our internet broadcasting of Divine Services is now in high definition (HD). In addition to the ability to view the live broadcast of services on the internet, one may now view services from our Facebook page: Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation Modesto. From the Facebook site, the service may also be viewed after the service has concluded!

The purpose for this ministry is to provide shut-ins that have internet capability, college students that may not be able to get to an Orthodox Church, or people interested in our precious Christian Orthodox Faith, the opportunity to view our church services. This is not a substitute for attending Church!

WELCOME
We are pleased to welcome all visitors to our Parish this week and we pray that our Lord bless you through the intercessions of the All-Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary. We invite you to join us for church services regularly and to pray with our Christian family.

Immediately following the Divine Liturgy this Sunday, we would like you to join us for our fellowship in the Very Rev. Emmanuel Papageorge Cultural Center. This Sunday, Fellowship Hour will be hosted by the Sunday Church School. We ask that the parents of our Sunday School students to please bring refreshments to be enjoyed by all during our Christian Orthodox Fellowship Hour.

Looking forward to seeing you in church, we wish you a blessed week!

PLEASE TAKE NOTE WHEN COMMUNICATING WITHIN THE PARISH
Texting and social media platforms have become prevalent as the means by which we communicate with one another. Although these methods of communication may be more convenient and seemingly instantaneous, they remain informal and impersonal. Moreover, our words can be misconstrued on account of improperly placed (or lacking) punctuation, misspelled words, and/or incomplete thoughts; simply done with the click of a button.

We, therefore, ask you to please refrain from texting or reaching out to Fr. Jon, Michael, or the Office Staff through social media platforms. Rather, you are asked to contact them through the Church Office to schedule appointments or sacraments, confirm service times, meetings, request visitations and/or to ask for pastoral or theological questions. In the event of an emergency, please contact Fr. Jon via the numbers provided in our Parish.

Some internet sites of our Parish include:

Parish Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/goannunciation/

Philoptochos - https://www.facebook.com/Philoptochos4011/

Tots N Toddlers (TNT) - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1752911011651397/

GOYA - https://www.facebook.com/groups/906681666103047/

YAL - https://www.facebook.com/groups/690691877659137/?ref=group_browse_new

Dance Groups - Shutterfly - https://greekdanceclub.shutterfly.com/

iPhone App for Shutterfly Share Sites can be found at - https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/shutterfly-share-sites/id567273381?mt=8

VISIT OUR WEBSITE
In an effort to continue improving our Parish Ministry, we continue to upgrade and improve our Parish Website: www.goannunciation.org

Recent changes have been made to the format which is much more pleasing to the eye and user friendly. In addition to this wonderful look, there are many features that are constantly being improved and updated.

The broadcasting of our Divine Services may now be seen from both our Parish Website and Parish Facebook page. The newly installed high definition cameras have added to the viewing clarity of our services. We do suggest that when viewing Divine Services from our Parish Website, that it may be better to use Chrome as the browser.

The use of today's technology to improve our ability to serve you, the faithful stewards of the Annunciation Church, is of paramount importance. Whether it is through our website or the broadcasting of Divine Services, it is the responsibility of good stewardship that we strengthen our ability to communicate Christ's message of love, peace and salvation to all.

A feature on the website now enables donations and Stewardship offerings to be made online. After researching a number of programs to provide a means by which online contributions may be made we have chosen to use "Paypal" which is a well tested and secure method.

Please accept this improvement to our Parish Ministry as an offering from your Parish Council. We are grateful to the stewards and friends of our Parish that support our ministry and we pledge to continue to provide the highest quality of service to you, the people of God.

PARISH COUNCIL
Sunday, November 25th – Team 4: Stamatis Tsatsaronis, John Mangelos, & Mitcheal Word

Sunday, December 2nd – Team 1: Tony Gavrilis, Nick Faklis, & Steve Pallios

ALTAR BOYS
ALL ALTAR BOYS ARE EXPECTED TO:

* Dress properly, wearing lightcolored shirt, tie, and dress shoes.
* The Sunday Church School Program now enables an Altar Boy to serve on Sundays when he may not be scheduled. If you wish to put in extra service on days when it is not your group day, you may do so, but following Holy Communion, you must attend Sunday Church School.
* If unable to participate at your scheduled time, please contact your team captain. Please be on time for all services.

ACOLYTE COORDINATORS:
Manoli Rodarakis - Liturgical Coordinator

SENIOR ALTAR BOYS:
Andreas Alexander ~ Frankie Zanotto ~ PJ Zanotto

Sunday, November 25th - Team B: Captain, Matthew Myrtakis, Dimitri Stamos, Walter Lemons, & Christos Zanotto

Sunday, December 2nd – Team A: Captain, Jacob Gavrilis, Alex Alexander, Ryan Hatton & Carson Maroudas

MEMORIAL SERVICES
Memorial prayers will be offered this Sunday for the repose of the soul of the servant of God:

George Panigiris 40 Days

On behalf of the entire Parish we extend our prayers to his family and friends. May our Heavenly Father grant him eternal rest where there is no pain or sorrow, but everlasting life.

ETERNAL BE HIS MEMORY!

PARISH ASSEMBLY, PC ELECTION & SEMINAR
In accordance with the Uniform Parish Regulations of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, to submit a nomination form one must attend the Parish Council Seminar for stewards of our Parish that will be held on Wednesday, November 28th at 7:00 p.m. in the Classroom Building. Stewards that have been nominated to serve on the Parish Council are: Jeff Brown, Peter Mamalis, Andrea Mayer, Nick Pallios, & Nick Stavrianoudakis.

On Sunday, November 25th, the Parish Assembly will convene. All candidates for the Parish Council will be introduced to the Assembly. All stewards are invited to attend.

Elections will be held on Sunday, December 2nd, following the Divine Liturgy and until 1:00 p.m. in the Very Rev. Emmanuel Papageorge Cultural Center.

CHURCH ETIQUETTE
When attending services, please be prompt! In order to partake of the Holy Eucharist please remember proper preparation is required to receive Holy Communion. Proper preparation in receiving Holy Communion requires that the person be in the Divine Liturgy on time, that means BEFORE 10:00 a.m.!

When receiving the Holy Eucharist come forward reverently, give your baptismal name, hold the red cloth under your chin and after receiving, wipe your lips.

Please remember that the "Cry Room" is intended only when an infant child may seem to be disrupting a divine service. It is wonderful to see so many families with young children and for this reason, we ask that only one parent and child be in the "Cry Room" at any given time. Parents should not be giving their children games to play while in the "Cry Room". Once the child has settled down they should return to the pews for the service.

STEWARDSHIP 2018
Our Christian Orthodox Stewardship ministry requires us to prayerfully evaluate our obligations to Christ and His Church. The 2018 Stewardship Directory and Calendar has been mailed to members and potential members of our Parish. The Directory contains important information about how we are to fulfill our role as Stewards of the Church.

This year's Stewardship Theme: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord, not for men" (Col. 3:23). The call to give all our "heart" to the Lord is definitely the meaning of how we live our precious Christian Orthodox Faith.

In offering our "heart" to the Lord, our active Stewardship is expressed in the fellowship of our Parish Family. In this way we will experience His love that enables us to grow and strengthen our Parish Church and Ministries.

As we are called to be active participants in our 2018 Stewardship we ask that you consider:

      1.) increasing the Time you spend in Church;
      2.) giving of the Talent you offer through various ministries of our Parish and;
      3.) considering increasing the financial offering from your Treasure that will enable
            us to fully fund the operating costs of our Parish through YOUR stewardship
            commitment!

The Stewardship Directory for 2018 lists the stewards of our Parish and provides the information for us to offer our Stewardship in love, faith and thanksgiving to God for ALL His blessings in our lives. We ask that you prayerfully study the Stewardship information to support the ministries of our Church. It is important that each steward return the Stewardship Form so that we may be able to track the offerings in accordance with our Ministry Budget.

Christian Stewardship is the very essence of living our precious Faith that teaches each of us to return to the Lord a portion of our earnings so that the Church may continue to grow. Every person baptized and/or chrismated into the Orthodox Christian Faith may be a parishioner but a steward is something more! A steward is a baptized and/or chrismated person who understands his responsibility to God and His Church. This understanding directs him to live his life according to the teachings of our Faith and at the same time, offers Time, Talents and Treasure to the sacred work of the Church. It is important to understand that our Stewardship obligations determine a family (husband, wife, & children) or an individual as stewards of our Parish. Young adults (18 years and older) that have completed their schooling and/or find themselves in the workplace are expected to become stewards of the Parish. These individuals are not included in one’s “Family Stewardship” obligation.

Our Holy Church emphasizes the truth found in Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition that we must give cheerfully and without reluctance to the sacred work of God’s Holy Church. Your support is necessary to continue the growth and development of our Parish Ministries.

On our Parish Website (www.goannunciation.org) one's Stewardship contributions (and other donations) may be made through “PayPal”. This is a secure means to make online donations and it provides a means for contributions to be made in a timely manner. In addition, it enables the steward to make regular contributions to support the sacred ministry of our Church.

If you have any questions regarding your offering please contact Fr. Jon. Christian Stewardship is the very essence of living our precious Faith that teaches each of us to return to the Lord a portion of our earnings so that the Church may continue to grow.

Each year we are blessed that a number of our stewards increase their commitment to the Church. In recent years, we have had a number of stewards increase their offering above the 10% we hoped for with some increasing their previous year offering by as much as 25%! Approximately $205.00 from every Stewardship offering is contributed for National Ministries.

We have an attainable goal of 325 Stewardship families/individuals for 2018…This IS an attainable goal! Please support our efforts and remember: "God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life."

PHILOPTOCHOS NEWS
The ministry of the Philoptochos Society is meaningful to the life of our Church. The membership drive for our Philoptochos has gone very well and we presently have 86 members. Included in one's membership offering is: membership obligation to the Archdiocese and Metropolis Philoptochos which totals $30.00 per person: $15.00 to the National Philoptochos; $15 to the Metropolis Philoptochos; and whatever is offered above that amount remains for local ministries. We strongly encourage the ladies of our Parish to join Philoptochos and to participate in this beautiful ministry.

The elected members of the Philoptochos Board are: Maria Berris, Dena Brown, Diana Demetrulias, Mary Gavrilis, Tina Gianopoulos, Janelle Hatton, Helen Katotakis, Maria Skordos-Moore, Denna Tsatsaronis, Ella Velthoen, Eleni Venierakis, Gloria Vincent. Recently, the Philoptochos Board convened to elect officers. The newly elected officers are: Denna Tsatsaronis, President; Ella Velthoen, Vice-President; Dena Brown, Treasurer; and Mary Gavrilis, Secretary. We pray that our Lord may guide the stewards of the Philoptochos Ministry with faith and love in leading us to accomplish greater service to the glory of God!

CLOTHE-A-CHILD
The Parish Council and the Philoptochos are coordinating the efforts to clothe underprivileged children in support of the Soroptomist Club. On Wednesday, December 5^th, at 6:00 p.m., we will go shopping at Kohl’s in Modesto. We will be shopping for approximately 35 children and need parishioners to do the shopping. Please contact Denna Tsatsaronis or Tony Gavrilis if you would like to volunteer or for more information.

COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS CARD

It’s that time of the year to sign up for our Parish Christmas Card. Once again, the card is a beautiful Byzantine Community Christmas Card this year! Please mail in or bring in your form to the Church Office by November 21st!

CHRISTMAS FLOWER DONATION

The Church Office is collecting donations for flowers to decorate our church during the season of our Lord’s Nativity. If you would like to contribute please contact Anna Petrulakis or the Church Office.

ATTENTION PARISHIONERS
We would also like to obtain the e-mail addresses of ALL the families in our Parish. We have begun to communicate much more frequently via the internet. Parents and students are asked to send their email addresses so that we may have them for our Parish records. We also ask that you please submit the names, addresses and e-mails for college students attending school away from home.

It is also important to inform the Church Office when you have an address change. In this way we are able to keep our files current and avoid unnecessary charges from the Post Office.

In addition, we ask that you please notify the Church Office when you plan a trip and put your mail on "Hold." Each time there is an address change or a temporary hold one's mailing address, the Parish is charged by the Post Office.

PARISH COMPLEX SECURITY
For the safety of our Parish complex we have installed security cameras on the exterior and interior of our church complex. Please be aware that the cameras will be recording daily 24/7 – 365 days a year. Don’t forget to smile!

PARISH EDUCATION MINISTRY

SUNDAY CHURCH SCHOOL:
Young people ages 3-12 are expected to regularly participate in our Religious Education Ministry.

Our regular Sunday Church School year is now in session. The young people will participate in the Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m. Following Holy Communion, the young people will go to the Classroom Building for their lesson.

It is imperative that families come to the Divine Liturgy on time! It teaches our young people the importance of being in the Divine Liturgy from the beginning and that it is appropriate to be on time at events we attend: School, Sports, and other activities that have a "start time". Young people that participate in our Greek Folk Dance Ministry must attend the Divine Liturgy and Summer Sunday Church School in order to be able to attend practice each Sunday.

ADULT RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
Join our Pastoral Assistant, Michael Sergakis, on the first and third Thursday evenings from October 4^th through December 20^that 7 pm. Becoming Like Christ: Living the Liturgy is a class to deepen our scriptural understanding of the sacrament of the holy Eucharist revealing its incredible depth and the impact it should have on our daily lives.

GREEK SCHOOL NEWS
Our afternoon Greek School program has begun and will continue every Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. Our afternoon Greek School teaches our children the Orthodox Christian Faith and Hellenistic culture and we encourage all of our young people to participate. Please register your child today during Fellowship Hour. Children must be age 3 years old or older.

Our Greek Language class for Adults begins Tuesday, November 6th at 6:00 pm in the classroom building. If you are interested in the Adult Greek Language class please contact the Church Office or Despina Rodarakis.

PLEASE TAKE NOTE
It is the practice of our Faith that as we enter the House of God, an offering is made and we say a prayer as we light candles to symbolize that Christ is the Light of the world. Please remember that if a check is being written for this purpose or for a donation, in accordance with the non-profit status of our Parish, any check made out to the Annunciation Church must be for the exact amount. Thank you!

CHURCH MUSIC MINISTRY
The ministry of our choir members is to represent YOU and to serve as volunteers by using the gift of music to sing praises to our Lord is a true act of Christian Orthodox Stewardship.

Parishioners, who may be interested in of our Church, and especially our young people, are invited to join the choir. St. Augustine wrote: "What better thing can the people do than sing. I know of no better thing than this!" Please contact Markella Tsatsaronis or the Church Office, to find out more about our Church Choir.

YOUTH NEWS
The success of this ministry rests with the parents as we strive to teach our young people to live our Faith through fellowship and service. We urge the parents of our young people to support this ministry with enthusiasm and love.

Our Youth Ministry is comprised of young people in:
H.O.P.E. - Grade 3-5;
J.O.Y. - Grades 6-8;
G.O.Y.A. - High School;
Y.A.L. - College - 35 yrs. old

The elected officers of our youth groups are:

H.O.P.E.
John Capous, President
Sophia Kokologiannakis, Vice-President
Christina Kappas, Secretary

J.O.Y.
Nicholas Affholter, President
Kathleen Ramirez, Secretary

G.O.Y.A.
Sophia Shaw, President
Matthew Myrtakis, Vice-President
Demitri Stamos, Treasurer
Kristina Gavrilis, Secretary
Lexie Mason, Corresponding Secretary

GOYA would like to thank everyone that supported their annual Thanksgiving “Turkey Drawing” last Sunday. The support to this ministry is truly appreciated.

The Goyans gathered at the Lemons' home last Monday evening for their monthly Fireside Chat. We wish to thank the Lemons Family for their hospitality.

It is important for our young people to participate in this ministry so that they may develop the skills necessary to live our Christian Orthodox teachings in today’s world.

PARISH BOOKSTORE
The bookstore is a great place to look for gifts as we approach Christmas. Each Sunday during Fellowship Hour, the bookstore is open. Please stop by and take a look at the many wonderful things that may be purchased for Christmas.

It has been said: "The more you read.the more you know!" We have a great selection of books, icons, music and other items that every Orthodox Christian can use! Our bookstore is brimming with new arrivals that also make excellent gifts for every occasion.

We have received a new selection of books for all ages. New titles in our bookstore include: The Story of YOU; Every Time I do My Cross; God and You: Person to Person; and Eastern Orthodox Christianity; Pamphlets on the lives of the Saints; the Orthodox Study Bible - New Testament and Psalms. Other excellent titles are: A Boy’s Journey to Sainthood; The Boy, a Kitchen, and His Cave; In the Candle’s Glow; Josiah and Julia Go to Church; The Miracle of the Red Egg; What Do You Hear Angel?; Yiayia and the Prosphoron; St. Nicholas & the Nine Gold Coins; Drita: An Albanian Girl; and Goodnight Jesus. One may also find: The Holy Week Book; The Lenten Spring; If we Confess our Sins; Praying with the Orthodox Mind; Becoming Icons of Christ; Beginners Guide to Prayer; Meditations for Great Lent; Turning The Heart To God; Walking In Wonder; Icon.; and others.

In addition, we have received some fun Orthodox games for young people. Other titles in our bookstore include: When God Made You; Food - Faith and Fasting (A Sacred Journey to Better Health; Thirty Steps to Heaven; Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives (Teachings of the Elder Thaddeus); Father Arseny; The Meditations of Fr. Thaddeus; Meditations for Holy Week; and several other children’s titles that include: Pictures of God and From God to You. In addition, our bookstore has many excellent gifts for every occasion. Please visit our Bookstore during Fellowship Hour!

ANNUNCIATION GREEK DANCE GROUP NEWS
Our Annunciation Dancers would like to thank our Parish Family for their love and support throughout the year. Registration for the 2018-2019 Greek Folk Dance Ministry is now in progress. Please register your children in this fun and exciting ministry.

Our Dance Support Group is truly grateful to all who supported this year's “Crab Feed”. Approximately 260 people attended and enjoyed a wonderful evening of delicious food, entertainment by our Oli Mazi dancers (who also served), and fellowship.

DANCE PRACTICE CONTINUES!
Each Sunday, following the Divine Liturgy, our young people will gather for Greek Dance practice. It is important that dancers attend practice regularly as we plan routines for performances in which they participate. Dancers are expected to be in the Divine Liturgy, attend Sunday Church School, and then go to practice.

Over the years families that have been involved in our Greek Folk Dance ministry have been gracious to loan their costumes for other young dancers and we thank them. We would like to remind the families that may have borrowed costumes in the past to please return them as quickly as possible. This includes all parts of the costume including jewelry and we ask that it be returned clean! Thank you!

The Dance Parent Support Group officers elected to serve for 2018-2020 are:

Joanne Capous - President
Janelle Hatton - Vice-President
Maria French - Treasurer
Cassandra Ramirez - Secretary

PARISH PROJECTS
The ongoing responsibility to maintain the beauty and safety of our church complex is of utmost importance. We have accomplished many projects and express our appreciation to the Stewards and Friends of our Parish that have been so generous to our ministry.

In the last three years we have completed:

1. The replacement of the doors throughout our facility which was approximately $25,000.00.
2. The installation of new lighting around the complex perimeter that was completed at a cost of $3500.00.
3. The new lighting in front of the church (replacing the old MID poles) has finished. The cost of this project was $23,000.00.
4. Sealing and repairing the parking lot - cost $17,000.00
5. The addition of new curbing on back parking lot planters - cost $4,000.00.
6. New lighting in the Classroom Building - cost $10,000.00...DONATED.
7. New Heating/Air Conditioning for the back of the Church Hall - cost $12,000.00;
8. Upgrading of the main electrical panel of our Church complex - cost $3,000.00.
9. Painting of the outdoor pavilion. (Donated.)
10. Landscaping in the upgraded planters behind our complex.
11. Trimming of the cypress trees. (Donated)
12. Upgrade to the Internet Broadcast equipment.
13. Painting of the Vestry and Sacristy. (Donated).
14. Sound System for the Pavilion. (Donated).
15. 2 Flagpoles (Donated).
16. New handicap ramp on side of the church (Donated).
17. Remodeling of the Classroom Building (Donated).
18. New and repair of gutters on the entire church complex (Donated and completed).
19. Security cameras inside and outside our facilities (Donated).
20. A new sound system for the church (Donated and completed).
21. A railed platform area and ramp behing the kitchen. (Donated and completed)
22. Roofing repairs over the kitchen, Lodge Room and entry way to the Hall. (Completed at a cost of $12,580.00)
23. Resealing and restriping of the front Church parking lot and area behind the kitchen. (Completed at a cost of $10,500.00)
24. The purchase of 3 AED units (Donated)
25. The paneling of the kitchen walls (Donated and being completed).
26. Installation of a ceiling fan and lights in the Choir Room. (Donated and completed)
27. Installation of automatic hand towel and soap dispensers throughout our facility. (Completed)
28. Replacing of the church carpet (Donated and installed).
29. Refurbishing the cushions in the church pews (Donated and completed).

We, again, are grateful to the parishioners that have already made contributions towards these projects.

Recently, we have received donations for new items that will be used during Divine Services. They are:

1. New Acolyte Robes (Donated and received);
2. A new Resurrection Candleholder (Donated and received);
3. 2 new sets of covers for the Holy Altar Table and Chalice Set (Donated and received);
4. A set of new Bishop Candlesticks (Donated and received);
5. A new Gospel in Greek and English (Donated and received);
6. A new set of covers for the Holy Altar Table and Chalice Set (Donated)
7. One Rantistirion (Sprinkler) for Holy Week (Donated)
8. Two silver vigil lights that are placed on each side of the Cross (Donated);
9. An icon of the Virgin Mary Directress (Donated)
10. A new set of covers for the Holy Altar Table and Chalice Set (Donated and received)
11. Updating of our electronic Carillon (bell) system (Donated and installed)
12. The installation of 7 new chandeliers for the Church (Donated and completed).
13. The installation of a new High Definition Broadcast System (cameras, control panel, monitors, and computer) for the church (Donated and completed).
14. Two brass candlestands for the 7 Day Vigil Lights (Donated and completed).

UPCOMING PROJECTS
1. Seal coating and striping of the church parking lot (Donations being accepted)
2. New altar and chalice covers (Donated).
3. Chairs and Tables for the Hall.

The Parish Council is presently reviewing each area of our Parish Complex so that we can meet the ongoing needs that include upgrading certain areas. Once the study is completed, a presentation will be given at the Parish Assembly.

If you would like to contribute toward ecclesiastical items needed, please contact Fr. Jon or a member of the Parish Council.

PARISH HERITAGE
We encourage you to visit our Parish Website: www.goannunciation.org. It is frequently updated and contains the Monthly and Weekly Bulletins, along with photographs and other information about our Parish.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
We are very blessed to have a wonderful church complex. This has only been accomplished by the generosity of the stewards of our Parish that understand the importance of gathering for Christian Orthodox Fellowship. We are grateful to everyone that has contributed over the years and we commit ourselves to be responsible to maintain our facilities to the best of our abilities.

For this to happen, we need YOUR support too! This is why we must remind parishioners that church property is not to be removed from our complex. Please do not remove plates, pans or other utensils from our facilities for any reason unless approved by the Parish Priest and Parish Council. If you have any items from the Cultural Center please return them this week. In addition, we would like to remind parishioners that we rely on volunteers to serve the meals at our luncheons. During meals that are served in our Church Hall please do not enter the kitchen unless you are volunteerin g to help! We thank you for your understanding and support!

PLEASE REMEMBER
The demands on each individual and family are great. In an effort to understand this we would like to remind our parishioners that before anyone plans on selling items in our church complex or during Parish activities, they must have the approval of the Parish Priest. We also understand that organizations within our Community, as well as, organizations we may support, have a need to raise funds for their activities. We do not want times of fellowship to become a time when parishioners may be bombarded to purchase items.

We would also like to remind everyone that the placement of flyers on our cars is prohibited! Flyers that you wish to have distributed may be brought by the Church Office for approval and then included in either our Monthly and/or Weekly bulletins.

IN TIMES OF ILLNESS
"Come, O blessed of my father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;.for I was sick and you visited me." (Matt. 25:31-46). When a member of our Parish is ill and has been hospitalized or may be recuperating at home, the immediate family of the ill person should contact the Church Office, 522-7694. It is beneficial to both the body and the soul when our priest prays for us when we are healthy or ill. The local hospitals will not notify us when an Orthodox Christian has been admitted to the hospital, so it is imperative that the immediate family accept this responsibility.

CHURCH BEHAVIOR
Divine Services on Sunday morning begin promptly at 9:00 a.m. There is no set time as to when the Divine Liturgy actually begins since the hymns of the Matins vary from week to week. According to actual Church Service procedures, each and every member of the congregation is required to be seated in the pews by the beginning of the Divine Liturgy. It is only through leniency that anyone is allowed to enter the Church once the Service has begun. Thus it behooves us not to take undue advantage of this leniency. Also, unnecessary noise is extremely distracting during worship, especially when it comes from the adults talking; in addition, our nursery is equipped with all the conveniences for young children and a parent to participate in the Liturgy. Please remember to prepare yourself properly to attend the Divine Liturgy; dress accordingly; do not chew gum; turn off your cell phone; and please do not create a disturbance. Please remember that the Parish Council members are re quired to see to the order during Church Services and everyone should follow their directions at all times.

"The Lord has given us many counsels and commandments to help us toward salvation. He has even given us a pattern of prayer, instructing us on how we are to pray. He has given us life, and with His accustomed generosity, He has also taught us how to pray. He has made it easy for us to be heard, as we pray to the Father in words taught us by the Son.Let us pray as God our Master has taught us. To ask the Father in words His Son has given us, to let Him hear the words of Christ ringing in our ears, is to make our prayer one of friendship, a family prayer." St. Cyprian, martyred Bishop of Carthage (+258)

OBLATION OFFERING
The Divine Liturgy begins with the offering of the faithful people of God. The gifts we bring forth are an expression of our faith in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Holy Communion makes us one with the Holy Trinity and is given for "remission of sins and life everlasting". The people are invited to bring forth their offering, i.e. "Prosforon", for the Divine Liturgy to be celebrated. We use 4 prosfora on a regular Sunday and they may be given through our Philoptochos for a donation. The Eucharist Bread may be offered in memory of a loved one or for someone's health and well-being. Anyone wishing to donate the Eucharist Bread ("Prosphoron") on a particular Sunday may contact Anna Petrulakis, 522-0298.

In addition to contributing the Eucharist Bread it is customary to bring a bottle of olive oil for the vigil lights and a bottle of wine for Holy Communion. The ONLY wine being used for Holy Communion is Coumantaria and will now be available for purchase from the Church Office.

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“Whatever you do work at it with all your heart
as working for the Lord, not for men...”
(Colossians 3:23)

SUNDAY CHURCH SCHOOL

September 2 - June 2
Every Sunday at 10:00 a.m.

Parents are urged to bring their children to
Sunday Church School each Sunday

Ages 3 – Grade 12

Please be prompt in coming to church each Sunday and remember that the SS children are to sit in the front pews each Sunday!

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MARK YOUR CALENDAR

General Information

Contact Information

Services Schedule

Past Bulletins